The diagnostic suitability of a xerostomia questionnaire and the association between xerostomia, hyposalivation and medication use in a group of nursing home residents

Abstract

The study objective was to explore the diagnostic suitability of the Xerostomia Inventory and the association between xerostomia, hyposalivation and medication use in a group of nursing home residents. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 50 physically impaired nursing home residents (20 men) with a mean age of 78.1 years (range, 53–98) in The Netherlands. The Xerostomia Inventory-Dutch version was completed for all residents and the data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis to determine the diagnostic suitability. Residents’ data on xerostomia, whole saliva secretion rates and hyposalivation-related medications used were collected and statistically analyzed. The diagnostic suitability of the Xerostomia Inventory-Dutch version appeared restricted. The prevalence of xerostomia was 52%, without gender and age difference. The prevalence of hyposalivation was 24% for resting, 60% for chewing-stimulated and 18% for acid-stimulated whole saliva. All whole saliva secretion rates were significantly lower in women than in men and in older than in younger residents. Forty-four percent of all medications used were hyposalivation-related and women used significantly more medications than men. Xerostomia was significantly negatively correlated with the resting whole saliva secretion rate. The number of hyposalivation-related medications used was not significantly correlated with the various whole saliva secretion rates. In nursing home residents, xerostomia, hyposalivation and using hyposalivation-related medications seem common and partially associated features.

Shortening the Xerostomia Inventory

“…This was done in the Dutch study 11 because the participants found it difficult to distinguish the five response options, and we repeated it in the secondary analyses of the data from the other four studies. Was this likely to have affected the discriminative properties of the measure?…”

“…There is a need to investigate whether shortening the measure by omitting those items unduly compromises its psychometric or statistical characteristics. A recent Dutch study 11 of 55 nursing home residents used such a shortened version, along with a reduction in Guttman-type response options from the usual five to three, occasioned by difficulties experienced by the participants in discriminating among the five response options. The findings of that study indicated that the shortened measure (dubbed the “Summated Xerostomia Inventory-Dutch Version”) appeared to be valid, but that there is a need to determine the shortened measure’s validity and properties in larger and more diverse samples and settings before any recommendations on its future use can be made.…”

Translation, validation, and construct reliability of a Portuguese version of the Xerostomia Inventory

“…However, xerostomia is subjective with different symptoms, and thus, its assessment can only be performed by questionnaires using discriminative questions (van der Putten et al , 2011).…”

Validating the Xerostomia Inventory in a radiation‐induced xerostomia population in German language

“…Xerostomia is a common symptom in patients seeking help from specialists in oral medicine (Orellana et al, ; van der Putten, Brand, Schols, & de Baat, ). Among other reasons, it is often a side effect of head and neck radiation and can impair multiple oral functions such as speech and swallowing, leading to poorer quality of life (QoL) (Eisbruch et al, ).…”